A Prescription for a Promising Future

Note: All academic classes in this program are taught online; students visit the Bend
campus twice a term (during fall & winter terms) for labs.

COCC preps students for careers in the fast-growing pharmacy tech field

Things are looking extra healthy in the field of pharmaceuticals.

That’s due in large part to the number of baby boomers — individuals born between
1946 and 1964 —who are reaching older age in an era of advanced medical technology.
By 2030, boomers are expected to double the country’s senior population to a robust
70 million.

As the drug industry surges to support quality of life and treat things that come
with senior living, such as chronic disease, the need for support services has grown
too. The pharmacy technician field has ridden that wave: According to the U.S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics, it’s a profession expected to grow by 7 percent between 2018
and 2028, outperforming the average growth of other occupations.

Pharmacy technicians are integral to connecting patients with treatments. They prepare
and package medications, from drugs that battle cancer to those that punch out a persistent
cold. They calculate prescriptions — mixing, measuring, weighing — and fill orders.
Techs help map out a patient’s overall medication plan to safely and effectively integrate
all prescriptions. It’s an interactive, on-your-feet kind of career that blends technology
with people skills.

At Central Oregon Community College (COCC), the pharmacy technician program is now in its eleventh year. It’s the only accredited program east of the Cascades
in Oregon.

“This is a great way to be in the medical field but not have direct patient care all
the time,” said Stephanie O’Bryan, the program’s director. “It’s a good living, and
you can go anywhere in the United States,” she added, referring to the national certification
achieved through the one-year program.

Currently capped at 16 students, the program launches a new cohort each fall, with
some of the classes offered in hybrid and online format to serve remote students.
Come spring, the students are ready to embark on two practicums where they apply their
skills in industry settings: 120 hours in a retail pharmacy setting and 120 hours
in an institutional pharmacy setting. They also do a brief stint with PacificSource
Health Plans, for an insurance perspective, plus a stint with a compounding pharmacy
and a home infusion pharmacy. By the end of the school year, graduates of the program
are workforce-ready.

“This is a great way to be in the medical field but not have direct patient care all
the time,” said Stephanie O’Bryan, the program’s director. “It’s a good living, and
you can go anywhere in the United States,” she added, referring to the national certification
achieved through the one-year program.

The “office” for a pharmacy technician might be at a drugstore or in a hospital. Some
work in home health or in medicine compounding. O’Bryan herself previously worked
at St. Charles inpatient pharmacy and with Option Care, a home infusion pharmacy.

The state of Oregon ranks fourth in the nation in average hourly wage for pharmacy
technicians at $19.67. O’Bryan explained that a number of regional employers are routinely
in contact for new hires. “There’s a huge demand,” she explained.

That’s part of the reason Cassie Vega, who graduated in 2017, chose the career path.
“My husband’s aunt is a pharmacy tech and she has never had a problem finding a job,
so when I looked into the program I figured this might be a good career choice,” she
said. “I’ve also always wanted to work in health care.”

Vega, who works for Option Care, sees a reward in “just being able to call a patient
and hear how our medications are helping them.”

Each state has different laws when it comes to working as a pharmacy tech. When students
first start the COCC program, they get their Oregon Board of Pharmacy’s technician
license. It lasts two years and allows them to work in Oregon. At the end of the program
they sit for their national exam and, with a passing score, can go to any state with
their certification to seek employment; some states require additional licensing.

“There are so many ways you can go into it,” added ​O’Bryan. “So if you’re more of
a people person you can work in a retail setting, and if you like mixing IVs and helping
patients get better you might like a hospital better. Or, if you just want to be on
the telephone and talk to patients, insurance might be the way to go. There are so
many opportunities and different avenues you can go down.”

The potential for career advancement includes everything from supervisory roles to
added certifications for offshoot specialties, including being an IV technician or
working in chemotherapy.

“The program at COCC really helps you see what type of pharmacy is best suited for
you,” said Vega. “It exposes you to knowledge and experience that prepares you for
whichever career choice you make.”